Kiln for burning articles manufactured from clay



(No Model.)

J. DAWSON.

KILN PQR BURNING ARTIGLESZM'ANUPAQTURBD:FVRQM,G LAY. No. 253,517.

WITNESSES.

Patented Feb. 14,1882.

I .7V VEN TOR.

N. PEYERS, Pnellithograplwr. wnshingwn. u. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DAWSON, or coLrAX, lNDiANA.

KILN FOR BURNING ARTICLES MANUFACTURED FROM CLAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,517, dated February 14, 1882.

Application filed January 3, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DAwsoN, of the town or" Colfax, county of Clinton, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns for Burning Articles Manufactured from Clay, of which the follow'- ing is a specification.

My saidinvention principally consists in so constructing a kiln and the lire-spaces and flues thereto that the products of combustion can be made to travel either up or down through the tiles or other articles which are being burned therein at pleasure without changing the fire from one set of nre-places to another.

It further consists in some details of construction whereby the kiln is generally improved, all as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved kiln; Fig. 2, an under side plan of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section and inside plan, looking downwardly from the dotted line w and Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on the dotted line y y.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the walls of my improved kiln; B, the oor or grating thereto; C, the lire-spaces;

D, the ash-pits E, bag-fines on the back side ofL-thefront wall above the tire-spaces; F, transverse ues under the grating B, terminatingin a single longitudinal due, G, along the back side of the kiln; H, openings from the flue G to the outside of the kiln 5I, the chimneys; J, door-opening for ordinary use in filling the kiln with tile er other articles to be burned, and Kman-holes for use in finishing said filling. The wall A is constructed, as usual, of brick', with the usual vent or smoke holes, c, in the top for the escape of steam or smoke during one stage of the process of burning the tile, but which are stopped up at another stage.

The grating B is also of an ordinary construction, except that it is cut away entirely across underneath to form the transverse ilues F, which terminate in or communicate with the longitudinal ue G.`

The lire-spaces C are of common form, having the gratin gaand the ash-pits D below them.

the tiles thereon to the holes a in the crown ot" the kiln, thus burning said tile byan upward course from the lire-places to said holes, as is most common in kilns of this character,- the dampers in the chimneys being closed. When the back ends of the tire-spaces are stopped by means of the dampers f or otherwise, thus cutting off direct communication between them .and the transverse flues F, the bag-dues E are brought into use by withdrawing the dempers e or removing the other stoppin g devices. The products of combustion then pass from the firespaces up said dues, down through the tiles in the kiln, under the grating, into the flues F,

from them vinto the flue G, and thence up thev chimneys I, the dampers of which are also withdrawn. During the very earliest stages ot the burning, in order to give the freest possible vent to the water-smoke, both the chimneys and the openings H are kept open. are particularly valuable for this purpose, as they permit a large amount-of dam pness, which escapes inthis form from the lower tiles, to escape directly into the open air without passing up through the upper ones, and thus impregnating them with still more' moisture before they are hot enough to expel it.

This method of burning tiles, brick, Snc., is much better than the old way, where the products of combustion traveled in only one direction through the articles to be burned, as in that case the lower ones, nearest the lire, would be burned too hard, while those farthest away would not be burned enough. By alternating the application ot' the heat, as may readily be done with my improved kiln, the articles may be burned perfectly even and without additional expense.

I am aware that both an up and down direction of the products of combustion has been secured by means of two separate sets of respaces, one of which was adapted for use in the one case and the other in the other. This These latter- IOO involves the trouble and expense of attending to two sets of lires, only one ot' which can be protitably burning at the same time. It is obvious, therefore, that my invention is a great improvement upon that mentioned. Additional fire spaces, however, can be applied to my kiln upon the ends, if desired, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3; but as these are intended to operate in a similar manner to those hereinbel'ore described as formingpart of my invention, they do not change its general character.

In the use of this kiln I have found it better to have the products of combustion pass down through the tile during the earliest stages of the burning by means of bringing the bag-huesv E into use first, as this course eXpels the water from thelower tile which are likely to be wetter than the upper ones) directly into the chime neys or through the openings H without allowing it to pass up into the upper ones.A The reason for this is that by the time the kiln is filled the lower tile have usually absorbed some moisture, and are therefore wetter than the upper ones, and too much dampness in the form of steam or water-smoke islikely to injure the driest ones and cause them to crack. When the tile are pretty Well dried the holes a and dampers f should be opened, the openings H and iiues E closed up, and the burning proceed in the regular manner.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. rBhe combination, in a kiln, of the firespaces and twosets of lues, one set of which runs underneath the articles to be burned in the kiln and the other to a point at or near their top, Aeach being capable of being cut ott' from the fire-space, so that the products of combustion will necessarily pass through the other, whereby both an up and a down passage thereof may be secured from the same set of res, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a kiln, of the firespaces C, flues F, having dampersj', and iiues E, having dampers e, all substantially-as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

3.' The combination ofthe tire-spaces C, ues F, ue G, and openings H, all substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 30th day of December, A. D. 1881.

JOHN DAVSON. [L. s.]

In presence of- O. BRADFORD, J AGoB W. LOEPER. 

